A reader who has previously always played offline explains why Dark Souls II has finally made him appreciate online gaming.

I have had something of an epiphany. I had been a very big proponent of not playing online games ever. My previous experience of online gaming was admittedly limited. Several years ago, I played one of the online shooters (Call Of Duty or Battlefield I’m sure) for a few hours round a friend’s house and found it a thoroughly unpleasant experience. Both the gameplay (getting shot before moving after spawning, people hopping around the map, camping, etc.) and more than that, the childish and insulting chatter over the headset.

My next experience was to watch a couple of friends devote a period of their lives to World Of Warcraft. Again, it did not appeal. The sheer level of commitment required (not going to the pub on a Friday to go raiding!), the way the gameplay seems so prescribed (you have to have X classes, use Y powers before attacking à la South Park), etc. was also not for me and again, the headset chatter.

So, literally, I have not played any online games since and was thoroughly in the mindset that I wasn’t interested. I put approximately 300 hours into the original Dark Souls (over quite a considerable length of time) all of it offline and loved it – I really didn’t feel once I was missing out by being offline.

I picked up Dark Souls II on Friday and have to say I am enjoying it every bit as much as the first. The start was a good way of introducing new players without completely hand-holding and walking out into Majura was great. Without thinking about it, I’d played the game in online mode, and when I first got pretty stuck (the only ways I could find to go forward was to fight one of two bosses I couldn’t seem to beat) I took the plunge and summoned some help.

Well, the kindly phantom bowed and proceeded to help me beat my foe, the two of us working together, taking it in turns to draw the attention while the other attacked. It was particularly noble when they saw I was low on health and rushed the blighter to buy me some time! A quick farewell bow and wave from me after the fight and my new friend was gone forever.

In the few hours I’ve played the game since, I find myself drawn to the online play. I have been putting my sign down near a couple of bosses and helping out and joined a covenant and helped defeat naughty invaders of other players. The first time I helped someone beat a boss was as good a feeling I’ve had gaming for ages.

As well as the pride in helping someone, I love the communication without words – a bow from someone you’ve helped out says enough and coordinating without words seems so much more rewarding to me (probably realistic too, I’m not sure you’d hear someone through a metal helmet with a fight going on).

I’m going to be playing the game a lot more this week and even when playing to advance normally, I’m mainly thinking about becoming more powerful to help out on tougher bosses. So well done Dark Souls II, you have won this old cynic over to online gaming.

By reader mistaalex

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